Hair curling implement



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United States Patent Oate 3,086,535 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 HAIR CURLING IMPLEMENT Georgia E. Glintz, 2909 University Ave., Des Moines, Iowa Filed Aug. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 831,563 6 Claims. (Cl. 132-41) The present invention relates generally to improvements in hair curling equipment and more particularly to a novel curling implement especially adapted for use in the process commonly referred to as cold permanent waving. t

In cold permanent waving of hair, the hair is divided into a large number of individual tresses or strands which are wound upon curling rods and thoroughly saturated with a waving solution. After the solution has remained on the wound tress for a predetermined period ot' time, the wound tress is subjected to the application of a neutralizing solution to stop the action of the wav ing solution. The hair is then unwound, rinsed with water and dried and set.

Hair curling implements as heretofore shown by the prior art have serious drawbacks the elimination of which constitutes the object of the present invention. For example, some of the prior art devices comprised elongated cylindrical members around which the hair was Wound. This type of device produced closely coiled artificial looking curls rather than the more desirable natural looking waves. Other prior art devices used elongated planar members around which the hair was wound laterally. When the strand was wound around the squared corners on the longitudinal edges of these planar members it was formed into rectangular folds which ultimately caused the formation of unattractive ridges in the strand.

The present invention constitutes a hair winding implement which produces the more natural looking wavy effect rather than the artificial coils or the unattractive ridges characteristic of the prior art devices. The winding means of the present invention constitutes a pair of elongated planar holding members extending in side by side relation and having rounded longitudinal edges over which the strand is wound laterally.

The Width and thickness of these members is such that the laterally wound strand extends around these members in elongated convolutions to eventually produce gracefully curving waves which are very attractive and natural looking. Providing the members with rounded edges rather than sharp corners eliminates the undesirable ridges by enabling the strand to be wound in elliptical convolutions rather than rectangular folds.

Moreover, the planar members of the present invention are adapted to sandwich therebetween the loose or free end of the strand prior to Winding the remainder of the strand around the outside of these members. By

virtue of this construction the loose end is prevented from curling up into unattractive frizzes when subjected to the waving solution as would be the oase if the end was not held as described or was wound in small diameter coils. Instead, an attractive and natural looking wave is imparted to all portions of the strand.

The dual member construction of the present invention also enables a rewave or original wave of only that portion of the hair strand immediately adjacent the scalp, as would be necessary at a time following an initial wave when an unwaved portion has grown out from the scalp. To accomplish this'the lower part of the portion to be waved is sandwiched between the holding members and the remainder of the portion to be waved is then wound around the outside as previously described. Thus that Iportion of the strand which has retained the benelits of the initial wave need not be rewound and retreated as would be necessary if the implement were not constructed to engage an intermediate portion of the strand.

Another feature of the present invention is an improved construction enabling the strand of hair to be wound up all the way to the scalp.

Other objects and advantages are inherent in the structure claimed and disclosed or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a hair curling implement constituting an embodiment of the present invention and showing the members thereof pivoted to separated positions.

FIG. 2 is a top View of the implement showing an intermediate portion of a strand of hair engaged between the two holding members and a locking member extending to one side of the holding members.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a strand of hair wound on the implement with a portion of each of the holding members cut away and all of the members fastened together.

FIG. 4 is a top view showing the strand of hair wound as in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end view showing the strand of hair wound as in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 6 6 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a folded end paper for sandwiching the unconnected end of a hair strand.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2, there is shown a hair winding implement comprising a pair of rigid longitudinal planar holding members 12, 13 and a rigid longitudinal planar locking member 14 all `composed of a suitable material such as plastic. A ring 17 extends loosely through one end of each member 12, 13, 14 and provides a simple and economical means for mounting each member `for pivotal movement in its plane of disposition (FIG. 1) and for swinging movement in a plane perpendicular to its plane of disposition (FIG. 2).

In FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 there is shown a woundup strand of hair having an end 23 extending from the scalp 24 and a free end or tip 25. Holding members 12, 13 are moved apart to receive the free end 25 of the strand of hair or an intermediate part 26 of the strand (FIG. 2), following which members 12, 13 are brought together in side by side relation to engage the strand therebetween. If it is desired to wave the entire strand, then the portion adjacent free end 25 is engaged so that the tips do not stick out beyond the longitudinal edges of holding members 12, 13 so as to prevent unsightly frizzes from forming at end 25 after waving solution is applied as would be the case if end 25 was not so engaged or was wound in small diameter coils. Since there is a variation in length among the numerous individual hairs constituting the strand, in order to assure proper engagement of the free end of each hair the tip 25 of the strand is initially sandwiched between the opposite sides 29, 30 of a folded end paper (FIG. 7). The end paper is in turn sandwiched between the opposing flat surfaces of holding members 12, 13. If the folded edge 31 of the end paper is engaged between members 12, 13 then the free end of each individual hair is similarly properly engaged.

If it is desired to rewave or initially wave only a portion of the strand such as that which has grown out from scalp 24 since the last previous wave then the lowermost part 26 of this portion is engaged between holding members 12, 13, as shown in FIG. 2.

After a portion of the strand has been engaged between members 12, 13 the remaining portion of the strand, between the engaged portion and scalp 24, is folded around the outside of both members by rolling members 12, 13 along the strand toward scalp 24 so as to wind the strand around members 12, 13 in the manner shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The outside of each member 12, 13 is provided with rounded longitudinal edges 1S (FIG. 6), over which the strand is folded. By virtue of this construction the strand extends in curved ellipitical folds or convolutions around members 12, 13 (FIG. 5) rather than in rectangular folds as would be the case if the longitudinal edges were sharp rather than rounded. The elliptical folds produce gracefully curving waves whereas the rectangular folds would have resulted in unattractive ridges.

When members 12, 13 have been rolled up along the strand all the way to scalp 24 locking member 14, which has heretofore been maintained in a separated position extending away from the holding members (FIG. 2) so as not to interfere with the winding operation, is moved into position alongside holding member 13 against which is folded 4that end portion 27 of the hair strand connected to scalp 24 so as to sandwich scalp end portion 27 between locking member 14 and the adjacent holding member 13, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

If members 12, 13 had been rolled up along the strand so that their positions were the reverse of that shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 and scalp end portion 27 was folded against the outer surface of holding member 12 rather than member 13, locking member 14 could have been just as readily moved into an engaging position alongside holding member 12. Constructing the implement so that locking member 14 can be moved along ring 17 to a position alongside either holding member enables the strand of hair to be wound up much closer to the scalp than would be possible if member 14 were not so movable.

After the scalp end portion of the strand has been sandwiched as described the locking member is fastened to the adjacent holding members. Referring to FIG. l, each holding member 12, 13 has a longitudinally disposed bifurcation 19 at the loose end of the member and opposite the ring 17. Extending `transversely through a loose end of locking member 14 and opposite ring 17 is a pliable band 20. When all of the members 12, 13, 14 are disposed in side-by-side relation (FIGS. 3, 4, pliable band 20 is inserted through bifiurcations 19 on each holding member and then laterally around each member 12, 13, 14, following which the opposite ends of the band are twisted together, thereby fastening the loose ends of all the members together and locking the wound-up strand against unwinding (FIGS. 3, 4, and 5).

Each member 12, 13, 14 has a plurality of openings 21 extending transversely therethrough (FIG. l). When the members are fastened in side-by-side relation the openings 21 on each member are substantially aligned with the openings 21 on each of the other members to facilitate passage of waving solution upon application of the latter and thereby enable thorough saturation of the wound-up strand of hair.

Each of the holding members 12, 13 may be provided with respective longitudinally tapered portions 28, 22 (FIG. l) adjacent the loose ends of the members. The strand may be wound around tapered portions 28, 22 to produce a series of connected waves each consisting of a multiplicity of individual hair portions varying in length in accordance with the lateral dimension of that part of the tapered portions around which the individual hair portion is wound.

It is to be understood that the specific embodiment of the invention described above and shown in the drawing is merely illustrative of one of the many forms which the invention may take in practice without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims which are to be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

l. An implement for curling a hair strand having a free end and a scalp end, said implement comprising longitudinal holding portions having flat opposite lateral surfaces, said holding portions including means for engaging a portion of said hair strand, said holding portions having rounded longitudinal edges around which said strand is wound laterally in elliptical convolutions, a rigid longitudinal locking member, means mounting a first end of said locking member for movement of said locking member between a first position alongside one of said lateral surfaces and a second position alongside the other of said lateral surfaces when said strand is wound on said holding portions and brought adjacent said scalp end between said locking member and said lateral surface therealongside, and means for detachably connecting said holding portions to a second end of said locking member when said locking member is in either of said positions.

2. An implement as recited in claim 1 wherein said opposite lateral surfaces are disposed in substantially mutually parallel planes, said locking member comprises a planar member disposed in a plane substantially parallel to said lateral surfaces when in either of its locking positions, and said mounting means comprises means mounting said locking member for movement in a plane perpendicular to said planes of disposition.

3. An implement for curling a hair strand on a human head from the free end thereof to the scalp end thereof, said implement comprising a pair of longitudinal planar holding members for receiving thereabout a convoluted portion of a strand of hair to be treated, a third longitudinal planar member arranged to act as a locking member for said strand when the same is wound on the holding members, all three of said members having first and second end portions, an aperture provided in each of said members adjacent their respective first end portions, a ring member extending transversely through all of said apertures in said first end portions to connect all of said members at said first end portions, said ring member permitting movement of said holding members into open and closed positions whereby said holding members may be separated to receive therebetween a portion of said strand and then moved ot closed position to engage and hold therebetween the engaged portion of said strand, said holding members being of such a width and thickness and being provided with rounded longitudinal edges whereby when said strand of hair is laterally wound around said holding members substantially elliptical convolutions will be formed in the hair strand, said ring member being mounted adjacent the free ends of said holding members and locking member so as to permit said locking member to move between a first position alongside one of said holding members and a second position alongside the other of said holding members when said holding members are disposed in said closed position with the convoluted portion of the strand of hair arranged thereabout whereby the said locking member may be arranged in position alongside the particular holding member which will bring the wound strand of hair closest to the scalp, and means for detachably connecting all of said second end portions to each other when said holding members are in their closed position and said locking member is in either of its positions to lock said convoluted strand against uncoiling.

4. An implement, as recited in claim 3, wherein said holding members are disposed in substantially parallel planes and said locking member is disposed in a plane substantially parallel to one of said holding members, said ring member comprises means mounting each of said holding members and said locking member for pivotal movement in their respective planes of disposition and swinging movement in a plane perpendicular to their respective planes of disposition.

5. An implement, as recited in cliam 3, wherein said locking member has an opening extending transversely through its second end portion, each of said holding members has a longltudmally disposed bifurcation at its secholding members are in their closed position and said locking member is in either one of its locking positions.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hart Sept. 26, 1876 Hauss Apr. 17, 1888 Martin May 2, 1905 Comings Nov. 24, 19Q5 Paul July 10, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 20, 1919 Canada Jan. 20, 1948 

1. AN IMPLEMENT FOR CURLING A HAIR STRAND HAVING A FREE END AND A SCALP END, SAID IMPLEMENT COMPRISING LONGITUDINAL HOLDING PORTIONS HAVING FLAT OPPOSITE LATERAL SURFACES, SAID HOLDING PORTIONS INCLUDING MEANS FOR ENGAGING A PORTION OF SAID HAIR STRAND, SAID HOLDING PORTIONS HAVING ROUNDED LONGITUDINAL EDGES AROUND WHICH SAID STRAND IS WOUND LATERALLY IN ELLIPTICAL CONVOLUTIONS, A RIGID LONGITUDINAL LOCKING MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING A FIRST END OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION ALONGSIDE ONE OF SAID LATERAL SURFACES AND A SECOND POSITION ALONGSIDE THE OTHER OF SAID LATERAL SURFACES WHEN SAID STRAND IS WOUND ON SAID HOLDING PORTIONS AND BROUGHT ADJACENT SAID SCALP END BETWEEN SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND SAID LATERAL SURFACE THEREALONGSIDE, AND MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID HOLDING PORTIONS TO A SECOND END OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER WHEN SAID LOCKING MEMBER IS IN EITHER OF SAID POSITIONS. 